This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Thursday 23 May 1968 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Sikorsky CH-3E Sea King (S-61R) |
| Owner/operator: | 21st HS, 56th ACW, USAF |
| Registration: | 66-13295 |
| MSN: | 61-595 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | N of Khe Sanh, Quang Tri, South Vietnam -
 Vietnam
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Nakhon Phanom RTAFB (VTUW), Thailand |
| Khe Sanh, Quang Tri, South Vietnam |
The CH-3E with call sign DUSTY 51 was leading a flight of three on a Igloo White mission to drop surveillance sensors near Khe Sanh, South Vietnam. The helicopters encountered a low cloud cover at their destination and descended through a cloud break to acquire their target. However, unable to locate it they were forced to abort the mission and climbed back through the cloud cover. Shortly thereafter an explosion was observed under the clouds and as DUSTY 51 could no be reached by radio it was apparent that they had crashed. This was confirmed after the cloud cover cleared when search aircraft located wreckage on a slope that was 500 feet below the peak of a 5,700-foot mountain.
The five crewmen (pilot Capt. James Patrick McCollum, co-pilot Capt. William Henry Taylor, flight engineer SSgt John Lemoine Coon, flight engineer Sgt John Ernest Albanese, Jr. & gunner Sgt Robert Alton Fink) and a passenger (combat photographer Sgt Thomas Frederick Buhr) were reported missing as the crash site could not be reached due to heavy enemy activity. Their remains were eventually recovered by troops from Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines on 2 November 1968.
Sources:
https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1966.html
https://www.helis.com/database/cn/16816/
https://911gfx.nexus.net/aircraftlosses.html
https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/incident/68052333KIA.HTM
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jan-2010 10:44 | TB | Added |
| 09-Jan-2010 10:59 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Source, ] |
| 05-Sep-2011 06:22 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 21-Dec-2012 10:06 | TB | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Aug-2013 14:34 | Uli Elch | Updated [Phase, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 15-Feb-2025 12:57 | Tetrapack | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation